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Best upgrade path

U

usafguy99

Junior Member
Im currently running a 1.4GHz Athlon with 1GB of DDR 266 (PC2100) memory. I would love to upgrade my system but I also want to make use of the memory that I already have. I am open to using either AMD or Intel - I just want the best bang for my money.

What Processor/MB would allow me the most O/C potential while still using my PC2100 memory? From what I can tell the new Intel CPU's that use the 533 bus would be good for my memory - but im not sure how much OC potential I would get.

I know my current memory is holding me back from a serious upgrade - but I just cant see wasting all that memory. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
granite bay+a 533fsb intel p4
granite bay uses ddr266
just make sure that you have two identical sticks of ddr
 
What mobo do you have? I'm basically in the same situation as you (1.4 TBird on an Epox 8k7a), and this is the path I'm leaning toward:

1. Getting an XP 2400+, hopefully overclocking it, since the multipliers are unlocked on these, and I won't have to worry about my PC2100 DDR.
2. A Radeon 9500 Pro after the prices come down a little... the word on the street is that these also overclock quite well.
- I see the above two steps as something of a stopgap that will prolong the life of my current setup, so I don't have to drop cash on a new mobo and RAM.

3. Either Barton, Hammer, or P4 coupled with GeforceFX, R350 or equivilent. This step should occur sometime around Q3 of 2003, depending on how things shape up, which is the best bang for the buck, etc.
 
Thanks for the info...

My current thinking is getting a Intel 2.4/400 or maybe a 2.6/400 and then just crank up the bus speed - im sure I would hit the processor limits before I stress the memory to much. If I could get the FSB up to 145MHz (about the max I get out of my PC2100 sticks) that would get me 3480MHz. I dont realisticly expect to get that much out of the processor - but even getting 3GHz would be nice.

Is the 2.6GHZ the hightest one Intel makes that runs on the 400 bus or is there a higher one that would give me more OC potential? Im thinking that the upper limit on the 2.4 and 2.6 would be about the same so it would make more sense to get the 2.4 at this time and hopefully get 3-3.2Ghz out of it.

P.S. My memory (if I remember correctly) is 2 sticks of Crucial (2 * 256) and 1 stick of Mushkin (512). I think its pretty good memory but I will need a MB that can support 3 stick of DDR2100 reliably.

Thanks again for any further info.
 
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